> http://www.sacbee.com/prepsplus/story/143227.html

I received this link from a reader on this blog in response to my blog about the school system.

I don’t agree with everything in this article - I do see an serious opportunity for an inspirational story or video. We know what will happen to one of these schools if a star player from the NFL or the NBA joined the team.. drummed up support.. coaching… and frankly, esteem.

We know it. If we shot a video of the famous sport guy and the team we’d see the team become something great.  When we believe in others.. when we help them find their divine spark by seeing it first.  It happens.  It is magical.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7w9rk7Psus

One of the most watched video’s on YouTube.. because it gives  goose bumps. I want goose bumps. So do you.

This is a call to any sports nut in Sacramento- please go to these schools and help the kids in the article. SHoot a movie of it so we can motivate everyone to start helping kids find their divine spark.

In 13 months, Allegory will have a department with the sole purpose to do just that. December 2009 will be our first class in our first school. I’m committed to stop complaining and start doing.  Not sure how I will get there.. I will.
Any ideas on how to penetrate the school bureaucracy - let me know!

The scores are out.  Last year- the US kids scored 3rd in the world… this year we are 10th.

I don’t have a problem with us not being the best all the time.  Happiness and perfection do not always go hand in hand.

Clearly No Child Left Behind is not working.  My best friend is a school teacher in Florida.  In order to make time for all the tests, the children are only allowed recess one day a week.

Did you hear what I wrote?  We are all concerned about generation XXL and we are creating a school system that does not allow play outside.  No wonder our kids are not learning.  Teachers give out candy to try and get kids to behave since they can’t use recess as a carrot.
Remember when you were a kid>?  There were kids that were great in the classroom and kids who were great on the blacktop.  The primary gift an education system can give a kid is confidence.  Taking away a child’s physical play is abuse.  For all kids and particulary for those who are physical superstars.

my friend calls no child left behind “No teach left standing.”

I call it “No child left educated.”   We have got to revamp our school system and pay teachers more and develop programs that help a kid find their strength and make it better.  Marcus Buckingham, Now Discover your Strengths, talks about this for adults in the workplace.  We need to start when they are 1.

My son loves music.  No matter what is going on - if I put music on or sing to him… he glows.  He learns better.  This is his thing.  Our job is not to test him (I test really well - this is why I didn’t learn much in college.  I could test my way to an A.  Short term memory thing.  I forgot everything I learned in Physics.)

Stop testing.  Start fanning the flame of innovation, spirit, happiness, joy, running around….

“I don’t know why it works, it does.”

Bad cough?  Vicks Vapor Rub:  NOT on your chest.  It is bad that way.  Instead, slather on your feet and wear thick socks at night.

I didn’t believe it.  I tried it.  Not a cough the entire night.  I woke up with out my cough.  Weird.

“I don’t know why it works - it does.”

My brother-in-law said this as I watched him eat raisins from a jar.

White raisins soaked in gin.  Eat 9 of them in the morning.  Arthritis is better.  Incredibly better.  It works.

Santa is not allowed to say HO HO HO in Australia.  It seems it is demeaning to women.

Search HO HO HO Australia - you will see it ain’t an urban legend.

Really?

We are going to PC ourselves to death.

HO HO HO.  there, I said it.  I mean HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY.  Not … … …  (I wont’ type the words as I get enough smut spam already)

November 14.  In the Oakland airport.   13 young people ( I CAN’T TELL how old people are anymorel.)   All in gray jerseys.  Based upon their height I assume a basketball team.   The coach wearing a santa hat.   Singing songs.  Kids clapping.  Asking for pictures with the.  Clearly having fun.  Hugging.  I had tears in my eyes.

Two firemen.  In their fire stuff. Oakland. Guys we are are proud of.
One guy stands up and yells, “I miss thanksgiving???”
Momentary dampening of the singing.  The little kids circling around the team paused for a moment.

I yelled… “Hey!  What thanksgiving songs do you know buddy??  I stood up and applauded the boys singing.   A few other people did too.  They sang louder.

They were amazing.   i love humans.

Driving to Monterey with a two-year old can prove challenging. One hour into our drive my son begged to get out of his car seat. “I want to lay down,” ” I want to get out”, “Please let me get out,” it went on and on. (Like a comma out of place.. heh heh)

We explained to him that he had to wait. He was quiet for a little while.

“Mom, Daddy, I have poops.”

My son has sensitive skin. Of course we pulled over right away to clean up his poops. He didn’t have any.

Brilliant strategy kid. My husband and I felt ourselves getting miffed at him for the lie.. the manipulation.

Then we realized. He is two. He does not have a moral compass yet- he doesn’t know what a lie is. What he did was smart. It was not devious.

Now, how do we teach him that compass? How does anyone teach it? IN a company.. in a family… in a country?

Teaching by doing. He’ll pick up what we show him not what we get angry with. It is a long term process.

My son is going to a new preschool here in town.  It is an incredible please - co-op.  The parents work a 1/2 day a week.  I love it.

At 11am we go outside to a public park surrounded by gates.  The kids play hard.  My son learned to climb up a chain ladder and go down the slide by himself as I watched with astonishment.

One of the little boys, I’ll call him Harry, is about 3 and a half.  He has twin brothers about 1 and a half.  Harry is awesome.  I just love the kid.

He was playing with his best friend.  A little girl, not a part of the preschool, was there with her grandmother.  it is a public park.

Harry threw sand in the little girls face.  She cried.  I ran over to console her.  Grandmother freaked out.  She started yelling at Harry telling him he was a bad boy.  A bad boy.  She must have said it 10 times.

I got on my knees in front of Harry and asked him to look me in the eye.  Harry, what you did was bad behavior.  Throwing sand hurts and it is not okay.  You listen to me.  You are a good boy.  You are good.  I see you.  I see how good you are.  What you just did is NOT like you.  THis isn’t how you are.  How can I help you not do this again.

His little lip was trembling.  He hugged me.  He looked at the little girl and said he was sorry.  He said he was sorry to the grandmother.

The grandmother told me that my way of doing things was a little odd.  She remembered fondly the days of spanking.

Later that day, Harry would look over at me as he considered doing something he wasn’t supposed to.  Sometimes he still threw the sand - and most of the time he stopped.

It got me thinking.  We give out Halloween candy like it is vitamins.  We hand out stuff that rots the teeth, contributes to diabetes… has no nutritional value.  I wonder if each child got a pat on the head and a positive comment .. every day.. to fill their little halloween bag inside their being with what is beautiful about them.

If we did this- I am certain we would have less people in prison.  Less suicide.  Less fear.

Typecasting happens very early.  Kids believe was we say about them.  It can cause hurt that lasts a lifetime.

It is the job of every adult on the planet to help kids, even kids who are 50 years old, find their divine spark.

www.supperclub.com

fun.